Brake mechanism.



No. 666,562. Patentgd la'n. 22, [901. M. (l. RUTAN.

BRAKE MECHANISM.

{"Applimtion led June 2, 1900.'l

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No. 666,562. Patented lan. 22, |90I. M. (1. RUTAN.

BRAKE MECHANISM.

Z'Application led June 2, 1900. Y ('"0 Model- 3 shetssheet 2.

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No. 666,562. Patented 1an. 22, |961.

M. D.. HUTAN.

BRAKE MEGHANISM.

(Applination led Jung 2, 1900.) Y (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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WITNEssEs: INVENTOH'.

6%. di@ MHGHAEL Q RUTAN W. /Tvw -Y i r JAN/Vmv Nrrnn STATES MATENTFries.

MICHAEL Q. RUTAN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIRAM C. LORD,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BRAKE MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,562, dated January22, 1901.

Application filed June 2,1900. Serial No.18,823. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL Q. RUTAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake Mechanism;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in the connecting andactuating mechanism for operating the brake-shoes of street and otherrailway cars 5 and the invention has for its primary object to provide asimple, strong, and efficient mechanism for actuating thebrake-shoe-operating mechanism connected with the trucks of railway-carsand causing the brake-shoes thereof to act with equal pressure againstthe several wheels of the truck or trucks underneath the body of a car,irrespective oi the Wear on each brakeshoe, and thereby bringing the carto an easier standstill and preventing what is known as ii-at wheels.

In the usual construction of brake-shoeoperating mechanism rods formingrigid connections are employed for bringing the brakeshoes firmlyagainst the surfaces of the Wheelsl of a truck or trucks; but theseconstructions have this disadvantage: that when the several brake-shoeshave become unevenly worn when the mechanism is operated but one set ofbrake shoes will firmly and properlyv brake withthe wheels with whichthey are to be engaged, while the other set of brakeshoes cannot bebrought close enough to the surfaces of the respective wheels with whichthey are to brake, thereby resulting in a loss of power and sliding ofthe wheels upon the track and necessitating great expense in taking upor adjusting the several parts of the brake mechanism to cause all thebrake-shoes to properly brake or grip all the wheels of the truck ortrucks connected with the car-body. To overcome these objectionablefeatures, I have devised a novel brake-shoe-adjusting Apresentinvention.

mechanism to be placed in and connected with the brake-bars at the endsof a truck or trucks, which acts as an equalizing means to produce anequal gripping-pressure of each brakeshoe upon the respective peripheralsurfaces of the Wheels with which the several brakeshoes are to bebrought in braking engagement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brake mechanism ofthe character and for the purposes to be hereinafterfully speciiiedwhich shall be free from complications and shall be positive andeffective in its operations.

My novel mechanism may be used with any construction ofbrake-shoe-operating mechanism and may be applied to four-wheeled trucksof any design and is intended for use more especially on trucks forelectric and cable cars.

I My invention therefore consists in the brake mechanism hereinafter setforth, as well as in the novel construction of pressureequalizing deviceto be fully described in the accompanying specification, and finallyembodied in the clauses of the claim.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure I is a plan view of one form of double arrangement ofcartrucks and a brake mechanism provided with an equalizing deviceembodying the principles of my Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views ofequalizing devices of slightly-modified forms of construction, but stillembody- .ing the principal features of my invention,

said equalizing devices being represented with certain portions of thebrake-shoe-operating rods of any of the well-known forms ofrailway-trucks. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the equalizing device on anenlarged scale, and Fig. 5 is an end View of the same. Fig. 6 is aVertical cross-section taken on line 6 in said Fig. 5, illustrating moreparticularly one form of supporting-bracket and a cross-bar pivotallyconnected therewith, other parts of the mechanism being omitted; andFig. 7 is a perspective view of the form of bracket represented inconnection with the said abovedescribed gures to be secured directly tothe body of a car and with which the equalceases izing device is to be'operatively connected. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of another form ofbracket 0r support to be used with my invention.' Fig. 9 is alongitudinal vertical section of one of the car-trucks and a portion ofa carbody, said view also representing one arrangement of thebrake-rigging for actuating the brake-shoes.

Similar letters of reference are employed in allot' the saidabove-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

In Fig. l of the drawings I have illustrated one form of doublecar-truck, which may be of any desirable construction and in which thetrucks are respectively indicated by the reference-letters A and A. Inthese forms of trucks, as will be seen more especially from aninspection of Fig. 9, d indicates the brake-beams, to which are securedin the usual manner the brake shoes d'. These brake-beams are pivotallysecured by means of links a2 to the framework d5 of the truck, asillustrated. Slidably arranged upon the said frame-pieces a5 of eachtruck is a cross- `bar d4, to which are attached, by means of clampingor holding pieces h', curved bars b. Suitably secured to thelongitudinallyextending frame-pieces c6 of each truck is a crosspiecea7, which is provided with bifurcated or forked bearings d8, eachprovided with a pivotal pin or bolt a9. Arranged upon each pin ai is alever Z. These levers have pivotally connected therewith at their lowerend portions, by means of pins or bolts Z, suitable connecting-rods Z2.These rods Z2 are connected at their forward ends with the brakebeams aat the inner end portion of the truck. In like manner there arepivotally connected with each lever Z, by means of suitable pins or'bolts Z3, a second pair of connecting-rods Z47 which have their oppositeends attached to the brakabeam d at the opposite end portion of thetruck. Suitably secured to the cross-bar d'1 are pull-rods Z6, which arepivotally connected with the upper ends of the levers Z by means of thepins or bolts Z5. Thus when there is a pull upon the curved bars b inthe direction of the arrows 2, (shown in Figs. l and 9,) in the mannerhereinafter fully set forth, then the brake-shoes will be moved towardand against the car-wheels in the directions indicated by the arrows 3.

The preferred construction of equalizing device to be used with saidbrake mechanism for actuating the brake-shoes just described or to beemployed with any other desirable construction of brake-shoe-operatingmechanism is illustrated more particularly in Figs. l, 3, 4, 5, and G ofthe drawings. Said device consists, essentially, of asuitably-constructed bracket or support c, which is secured by means ofbolts or in any other Well-known manner to the bottom of the body of acar in a position centrally between said trucks A and A. Said bracket orsupport c has a portion c provided on its under side with adovvnwardlyextending bearing portion c2,

formed integral with saidfpart c', as villustrated more particularlyinFigs. 6 and 7, or secured thereto by means of bolts lo, as indicated inFig. 8 of the drawings. As illustrated, the said bearing portion c' isprovided with a suitable hole or perforation c3, which is in alinelnentwith a hole or perforation cl in the portion c' directly above said partc2.

On suitable short pins or bolts CZ and CZ, arranged, respectively, inthe holes or perforations cl and c3 of the portions c' and c2 of thebracket or support c, l have pivotally arranged a cross-bar e, whichextends on opposite sides of said bracket, as clearly illustrated in theseveral figures of the drawings. The said bar e is provided with acentrally-arranged link-shaped portion e, formed by the parts @sof saidbar e, which terminate in single arms e4 and e5, as indicated moreespecially in Fig. 5. The said portions e3 are each provided with acentrallyarranged hole, in which the bolts or pins CZ and CZ', connectedwith the support or bracket c, are arranged and secured in position andwhereby said link portion e of the bar e is pivotally arranged betweenthe inner surfaces of the part c and the said bearing portion c2 and canoscillate on said bearing portion, as will be clearly evident and forthe purposes hereinafter more fullyset forth. Ator near the end of eacharm e4 and e5 the said arms are provided with one or more holes e, withwhich are pivotally and adjustably connected, by means of suitable boltsor pins g or in any well-known manner, the endsf2 of theconnecting-rodsf and f', which are to be actuated by the motorman whenputting on the brakes.

Upon suitable pins e", which can be adjustably arranged insuitably-placed holes e10 in the said link portion e', are certainwheels c3 and e9, which are preferably grooved, as shown. Passing inopposite directions over the peripheral surfaces of said wheels is aexible connection h, such as a chain, which has its ends operativelyconnected with the loops or eyes 052 of certain rods 'i and i. Theserods i and t", as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. l, have theiropposite ends 'i3 pivotally connected, by means of pins or bolts t4,with an auxiliary cross-bar 725, 'to which is secured at the middle ofthe bar a longitudi- -nally-extending rod 716, having a bifurcaled endZ7 and wheel is, which embrace the curved barst) of the brake-rigging inthe usual inanner and as clearly indicated in said Fig. .l ofthedrawings. The oppositely-extending arm portions 719 of the auxiliarybars i5, which are connected with the curved bars b of the respectivetrucks in the manner just described, have arranged upon pins or bolts uthe bifurcated end porlions'il10 of a link 2112, which has suficientsag, so that when the several parts of the device are operativelyconnected the central portion of said link i12 will become arrangedbeneath the bearing-portion c2 of the support or bracket c withoutinter- IIO fering withthe operativeness and usefulness of the wholemechanism. If desired, I may dispense with the vsaid auxiliarycross-bars 5 and the connecting rods or links 6 and connect thebifurcated ends of the respective rods and and the wheel 8 in said endsdirectly to the curved bars b of the brakerigging, as clearly indicatedin Fig. 3. As clearly represented in said Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, in bothconstructions, I prefer to use the flexible connections h between theends 2 of the respective rods and the said fiexible connections passingover the wheels e8 and e9, which can be placed nearer to each other orfarther apart by changing the positions of the pins or bolts eT in theholes e11, whereby any slack in the chain h can be quickly taken up anda rigid connection can be maintained between the wheels 8 and therespective bars b,with which said wheels are operatively connected, aswill be clearly understood.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated still another slightly-modified form ofconstruction which, however, still embodies lthe leading features of mypresent invention. In this construction I have dispensed with the use ofthe flexible connection h andthe wheels e8 and e9, and in place of thetwo connecting-rods and 'i' I employ other rods 15. These rods areprovided with the bifurcated end portions 11 and are secured by means ofthe pins or bolts 15 to the auxiliary cross-rods 5, in the manner of therods and described in connec tion with the arrangement of partsrepresented in Fig. l. The opposite ends of the said rods 13 arelikewise provided with bifurcated end portions 16 and can be adjustablyconnected by means of pins or bolts 17, which are arranged in the holes@10 with the crossrod e, as will be clearly understood from aninspection of said Fig. 2.

The workings and the operations of the several parts of the mechanismjust described are exceedingly simple and are substantially as follows:When the operator on the platform at either end of the body of the caroperates the brake-lever, either of the connecting-rodsforf' will causean oscillatory movement of the cross-bar e in itsV bracket or support c,whereby a direct pull is exerted by both arms e4 and c5 of the said bare by means of the flexible connection upon both rods i and or by meansof the bars or rods 13, which are directly pivoted to the cross-bar ethrough the intermediately-arranged bars or rods upon the curved bars bof the brakerigging. In consequence thereof the brakebeams d of eachtruck become actuated and bring the several brake-shoes a into operativegripping engagement with the peripheral surfaces of the several wheelsof the trucks. From an inspection of the drawings it will be seen thatthe movements of the rods f and f/ are in the directions of the arrows land the movement of the rods comprising the mechanism for operating theCurved rods b are in the direction of the arrows 2, while the movementsof the brakeshoes are in the direction of the arrows 3.

From the above description it will be seen that no matter whether thebar e is actuated by the pull-rod fby the pull-rodf the flexibleconnection h between the rods and i or the pivotal connection betweenthe rods wand the said bar e and the variously-connected parts betweenthe two harsh such parts of the mechanism will accommodate themselves tothe relative positions of the several brake-shoes and the mechanism willact as au equalizing device to cause all the brake-shoes to bearsimultaneously and with great power against the surfaces of therespective wheels and will properly brake with the same. Furthermore,the arrangement of the two pins or bolts d and c?, on which the linkportion e of the bar c is arranged, is very essential to permit theexible connection 71 to pass diagonally across the central part of thelink portion; otherwise there would be distortion and unnecessaryfrictional wear, which would soon render the mechanism inoperative anduseless. Thus it will be clearly evident that each brake-shoe,irrespective of the wear upon its braking su rface, will automaticallyadj ust itself in relation to the surface of the wheel with which it isto be brought in braking engagement.

I am fully aware that changes may be made in the several arrangementsand combinations of the several parts, as Well as in the details of theconstruction thereof, without departing from the scope of my invention.Hence Ido not limit my invention to the exact arrangements andcombinations of the parts as herein shown and described, nor do vIconfine myself to the exact details of the construction thereof.

My invention. is applicable toI trucks of the various classes forelectric, cable, or railway cars of the various constructions and iscapable of application to a single truck as well as a double truck.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a brakemechanism for wheeled trucks, the combination, with movable brake-beamsand their brake-shoes, and the brake-rigging, of an equalizing device,consisting, essentially, of an oscillatory cross-bar, connectingrodsconnected therewith to be operated from the brake-lever on a platform ofa car-body, and a connection operatively connected with said oscillatorycross bar and said brakebeams, comprising a pair of rods connected atone end with said oscillatory cross-bar, auxiliary cross-bars with whichthe opposite ends of said rods are pivotally connected, an intermediateconnecting link or rod between said auxiliary cross-bars, and a curvedbar between each auxiliary cross-bar and the movable brake-beam,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a brake mechanism for wheeled trucks, the combination, withmovable brake-beams and their brake-shoes, and the brake-rigging,

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of an equalizing device, consisting, essentially, of an oscillatorycross-bar, connectingrods connected therewith to be operated from thebrake-lever on a platform of a car-body, a liexible connection slidablyand operatively connected With said oscillatory cross-bar, and a set ofconnecting-rods between the ends of said flexible connection and saidbrake-beams, comprising, a pair of rods connected at their inner ends tosaid flexible connection, auxiliary cross-bars with which the oppositeends of said rods are pivotally connected, an intermediate connectinglink or rod connecting said auxiliary cross-bars, and a curved barbetween each auxiliary cross-bar and the movable brake-beam,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a brake mechanism for Wheeled trucks, the combination, withmovable brake-beams and their brake-shoes, and the curved bars b of thebrake-rigging, of a bracket or suparranged link portion on said bar,pivoted on said pins so as to oscillate in said bearing portion, a pairof Wheels in said link portion, connecting-rods connected With saidoscillatory bar, to be operated from a brake-level on aplatform of thecar-body, and a flexible connection slidably but operatively arrangedbetween said oscillatory bar and said brakebeams, said connectionbeing'movable diagonally across the central part of said link portion,and being slidably connected with said curved bars b, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

4. In a brake mechanism for Wheeled trucks, the combination, withmovable brake-beams and their brake-shoes, and the curved bars b of thebrake-rigging, of a bracket or support c, having a bearing portion c2,provided with perforations or holes c3 and c4, a short pin d in saidhole cs, a short pin d in said hole c4, an oscillatory cross-bar, acentrally-arranged link portion on said bar, pivoted on said pins so asto oscillate in said bearing portion,a pair of wheels in said linkportion, connecting-rods connected with said oscillatory bar,to beoperated from a brake-lever on a platform of the car-body, and aflexible connection slidably but operatively connected with saidoscillatory bar and connecting-rods having their inner ends connectedwith the ends of said flexible connection, for actuating saidbrakebeams, said flexible connection being movable diagonally acrossthecentral part of said link portion, and said connecting-rods having theiropposite ends slidably connected with said curved bars b, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

5. The herein-described equalizing device for a brake inechanism,comprising the curved bars b of the brake-rigging, a bracket orsupport, having a pair of oppositely-placed holes or perforations, ashort pin in each hole or perforation, and an oscillatory cross-bar epivoted upon said pins in said bracket or support, having a link portione', a pair of wheels in said link portion, a flexible connection passingover and around said wheels, and means connected with said exibleconnection and the said curved bars b for actuating a brake-shoerigging, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The herein-described equalizing device for a brake mechanism,comprising the curved bars b of the brake-rigging, a bracket or supportc having a portion c provided with a perforation or hole c4, and abearing portion c2, having-a perforation or hole c3, a short pin d insaid perforation or hole c4, a short pin d in said hole or perforationc3, an oscillatory bar e pivotally arranged on said pins in said bearingportion, said bar e comprising a link portion c and oppositely-extendingand perforated arms e4 and c5, a pair of wheels in said link portion, aflexible connection passing over and around said wheels, and meansconnected with said flexible connection and the said curved bars b foractuating a brake-shoe rigging, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 31st day of May, 1900.

MICHAEL Q. RU'IAN.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, GEO. D. RICHARDS.

